4 Signs You Are in Need of Crawlspace Waterproofing
Approximately 15% of all newly built houses in the United States have a crawlspace. A crawlspace serves many functions including providing access to do repairs for electrical wiring, plumbing, and cooling and heating systems without the need to excavate the area around your home. You can also use your crawlspace to store some items.
The fact that your house is located above the crawlspace means that as much as 50% of your indoor air can circulate from the crawlspace. Hence, it is important to ensure that your crawlspace is clean and dry at all times. Moisture can damage the
structure of your crawlspace and negatively affect the quality of air in this space.
You need to waterproof your crawlspace if you see any of the following signs.
1. Musty smell
If your crawlspace becomes stuffy or has a musty smell, it could be having high humidity and mold. High humidity makes air stagnant such that allergens like dust, dust mites, mold, and pollen can become trapped in the air. Mold grows in highly humid conditions and releases microbial volatile organic compounds, which have an unpleasant smell, as it grows.
If your crawlspace becomes stuffy or smelly, this may mean that water or moisture is seeping in and promoting the growth of mold. You should probably call a crawlspace waterproofing technician.
2. -Visible signs of mold or mildew
Mold and mildew are harmful fungi that grow in humid places. Mold will appear as greenish, black, gray, white or brown patches on walls, wood, and other surfaces. Mildew on the hand presents as flat growths that are black, white, gray, brown or yellow in color.
Mold and mildew in your crawlspace indicate that the space is letting in moisture or water. The solution is to look for a crawlspace
waterproofing expert.
- Wood decay
If wooden items or pieces of wood in your crawlspace start to decay, this means that the crawlspace has a lot of moisture. Wood decay or dry rot occurs when wood-decay fungi decompose damp wood. This usually happens when the wood has a moisture content exceeding 20%. Call a crawlspace waterproofing company if you see signs of dry rot in your crawlspace as this indicates that the space is unusually moist.
- Cracks on the floor and walls
Cracks on the floor and walls of your crawlspace can cause water to seep in. If the seepage increases, the cracks will become larger and this may affect the structural integrity of the crawlspace’s walls and the foundation of your house. A crawlspace waterproofing specialist will help you by sealing the cracks.
